No Bake Reese's Tart

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Reese's Tart || To Salt & See-8.jpg

It is officially okay to embrace the Christmas season!!! My husband’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving so he does not want any part in early Christmas celebrations until Thanksgiving has past. I, on the other hand, am not this way, so I have been listening to Christmas music for the past month during the times when Alex is traveling for interviews. (I blame the weather - it is nearly impossible not to listen to Christmas music when it is below freezing and overcast outside, or if snow is on the ground.)

That being said, let’s talk about Thanksgiving last week since I didn’t have a post last week. I had to work during the day - because healthcare never sleeps - and to be honest, it wasn’t the best shift. But that’s okay because bad days happen and it was the only day that I had to work that week, which was amazing!! I am so thankful for the opportunity to not only be a nurse, but also to have the supportive coworkers that I do. I am thankful for those who have helped me develop into the nurse that I am today, and for the opportunity to encourage and come alongside new graduates as they orient to their new job. Not a lot of careers have the unique ability to directly affect someone’s life, and the field of bedside nursing gets to do just that every single day - and I am so thankful to have chosen a career in nursing!

Here are some other things (in no particular order) that I am thankful for over the past year:

  1. My husband and our marriage and the ways that it has continued to strengthen and deepen.

  2. Friends who invite us to share holidays with them during times that we can’t make it home to California.

  3. Spending a weekend with my college roommates in beautiful Palm Springs. We hadn’t all been together for over 1.5 years!

  4. A warm, safe, stable home - especially during the long, cold Minnesota winters.

  5. Friends who will fly out to spend time with you, even during subzero weather.

  6. An cozy, anniversary getaway up North.

  7. Our trip to Puerto Rico and getting to swim in the ocean again and eat all the fresh fish tacos that I wanted!

  8. Alex is finally in his last year of medical school!!

  9. The opportunity to go home throughout the year thanks to friends getting married.

  10. Getting to go back to Portland and visiting all of my favorite places - especially my favorite Thai food place EVER.

  11. For YOU!!!! (Seriously, I am so thankful for your support of this blog and my photography!!)

  12. The opportunity to spend some time in my childhood home before it sold.

  13. The ability to keep at least one plant alive for a whole year. Don’t ask me how many I started with…

  14. Our church and the community that it has provided us.

  15. My health.

In this season of pies, here’s a super easy to make tart. A Reese’s Tart, to be exact. Personally Reese’s cups are one of my favorite candies, right behind peanut butter M&M’s (see a pattern here...lol). I mean, you can’t go wrong with the classic pairing of peanut butter and chocolate, am I right?? So the fact that this tart tastes just like a Reese’s Cup is a major win in my book. The base is a simple Oreo crust, which is topped with a whipped peanut butter and chocolate ganache layers. This dessert recipe is no-bake, which means that as your oven is full with dinner entrees and side dishes for your holiday gatherings or with all of your holiday baking, this dessert won’t require an oven space! This tart is rich in flavor, so you don’t need a lot in order to feel satisfied!

No Bake Reese's Tart

Prep time:

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

  • 20 Oreos
  • 9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 6 Tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

  1. Melt 5 Tablespoons butter. In a food processor, pulse the Oreos until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, and pulse again until well combined.
  2. Transfer crumbs to an 8-inch tart pan. Press onto the bottom and up the sides.*
  3. Freeze 20 minutes to set.
  4. In the meantime, make the peanut butter layer. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the peanut butter and 4 Tablespoons softened butter. Add the powdered sugar. Transfer to the oreo lined tart pan. Using an off-set spatula evenly spread the peanut butter. Return to the freezer.
  5. Using a bread knife finely chop the chocolate. Transfer to a large bowl.
  6. In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream over low heat until it just begins to bubble around the edges. Do not boil.
  7. Pour over the chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk gently until completely smooth. (If solid pieces of chocolate remain, microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely smooth.)
  8. Pour over the peanut butter layer. Using an offset spatula, evenly spread the ganache. Tap the tart pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
  9. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.
  10. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

*Baker’s Notes:
To create a smooth bottom and sides with the Oreo crumbles, I used the flat bottom and edges of a 1/2 cup measuring cup to press the crumbs onto the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan.